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Arcata stores now charging for paper bags

ARCATA- Shoppers in Arcata will start to be charged ten cents for a paper bag at checkout starting on Friday. The final phase of the city's plastic bag ban went into affect the first of the month.

With the new addition to the ban, stores are required to charge customers for a paper bag. The money will be kept by the business. The city phased out plastic bags at the beginning of the year in February, as a way to reduce plastic waste in waterways.

Some businesses have already been charging for paper bags, others did not start charging customers on Friday. The Director of Environmental Services, Mark Andre, said the deadline is a "soft deadline." He said the city has been reminding businesses and will visit them next week to make sure they are in compliance.